Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is a journalist, screenwriter, movie producer and the bestselling author of several novels, including THE DIRTY GIRLS SOCIAL CLUB, soon to be a major motion picture, and HATERS, soon to be a television series. Credited with creating the "Chica Lit" genre in American publishing, Alisa continues to be the top-selling author in that growing field. Time magazine named Alisa one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States; Latina magazine named her a Woman of the Year; Entertainment Weekly hailed her as a Breakout Literary Star; and Hispanic Business magazine has twice named her among the 100 Most Influential people in the nation. Alisa is a former staff writer for the Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times, and holds a master's in journalism from Columbia University. She is a popular public speaker on college campuses, and has taught fiction-writing in the MFA program at the Univ. of New Mexico. Alisa has written cover stories for Glamour and Redbook, and her nonfiction work has appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines as well as in anthologies that include MAYBE BABY. Twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in feature writing and once voted the top newspaper essayist in the nation by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Alisa has seen her novels have been published in 13 countries. Her new book, DIRTY GIRLS ON TOP, a sequel to her first novel, will be published in the spring of 2008.  

JACKIE GUERRA

Emmy Award-winner Jackie Guerra brings her charm, humor, and style to every project she takes on. This multi-talented woman is an actress, author, and host of talk-radio's, The Jackie Guerra Show. Her down-to-earth approachability, compassion, wisdom, humor, confidence, and style give Jackie an instant familiarity that draws people to her -- and, of course, there's the laugh. Her unlikely yet destined success as a comic opened doors in Hollywood and she soon became an established film and TV star. Guerra was the first Latina to star in a network sitcom—First Time Out. She also co-starred in the critically acclaimed PBS series American Family in addition to co-starring roles in feature films including a turn as Jennifer Lopez's drum playing sister in the Warner Bros. biopic Selena and opposite Woody Allen in Picking Up the Pieces. Jackie's "life-of-the-party" personality made her the obvious choice to host the Style Network's You're Invited. After an appearance on Celebrity Hobbies where she showcased her lifelong passion for making jewelry she was immediately tapped to host the DIY Network's Jewelry Making. From her humble yet stubbornly ambitious childhood as a "Mexican-American Valley Girl" to her work as a stand-up comic, TV star, film actress, author, jewelry designer, motivational speaker and talk radio host, Jackie Guerra's life has been one of constant reinvention and invaluable lessons -- the insights she's picked up along the way served as inspiration for her first book; Under Construction: How I've Gained and Lost Millions of Dollars and Hundreds of Pounds (Penguin/NAL). It's a funny and self-empowering memoir for anyone looking for a little inspiration and words of wisdom the old-fashioned way, learning from your mistakes.

It comes as no surprise that the woman who blends equal parts talent and compassion to create her unique mix of celebrity would take her own 178-pound weight loss and turn it into an opportunity to help others suffering from obesity. Now Jackie's revealing how she took control of her own situation and stopped "weighting" for it to change after losing 178 pounds. "I never knew that life could feel this good," she said. "I want this for everyone." Jackie understands the work, courage and dedication to transform a life, because she's revolutionized her own. It is thrilling for her to see others do the same. Her determination and enthusiasm has enabled her to lose and keep off 178 lbs., quit a-pack-a-day smoking habit, and stop eating sugar and drinking alcohol. She's also parasailed through South Beach, Miami, climbed to the top of the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacán, Mexico and crisscrossed the country to motivate audiences to think, laugh and do something about the quality of their lives.

Jackie's candid approach to life is the perfect combination of hope and inspiration that makes her an audience favorite. She has produced and performed over 200 hours of talk radio where she's interviewed everyone from Presidential candidates and famous musicians to ordinary people doing extraordinary things. She has hosted events with Senators Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards, and she recently moderated the first national town hall meeting on obesity within the Latino Community for the National Council of La Raza. Oh, and she still finds time to walk 5 miles a day! Jackie is determined to make life healthier, happier and more exciting for everyone. Throughout all of her many career incarnations, she has always kept her focus on making a difference and helping everyone to have fun, laugh a lot and be great. http://www.jackieguerra.com/

Dr. JULIE MENDOZA, Moderator

Dr. Mendoza is the Southern California Director for the Alliance for Regional Collaboration to Heighten educational Success (ARCHES) and has her doctorate in Education from Harvard University. Recently, she served as the Director of Research and Evaluation for the UC College Preparation (UCCP) Online. Prior to this position, she was Co-Director of the California Opportunity Indicators Project with UC/ACCORD where she participated in the conceptualization of the College Opportunity Ratio (COR), an indicator that reports the effectiveness of the state's high schools in producing college-ready graduates. Dr. Mendoza is also a contributing author of the 2005 Harvard Civil Rights Project study, "Confronting the Dropout Crisis in California."

Dr. JUAN SANCHEZ, Acting Director, Early Academic Outreach Program

Juan Diego Sanchez has worked in early academic enrichment programs and as a high school instructor for more than fifteen years. He earned a Master's and Teaching Credential in Chemistry from San Francisco State University and has taught in the San Francisco Unified School District. He earned a second Master's and his Ph.D. in Education, both with an emphasis in Quantitative Methods and Evaluation, from UC Berkeley.

Dr. Sanchez currently works for the UC Office of the President as the Acting Statewide Director for UC's Early Academic Outreach Program and the Statewide Instructor of the Transcript Evaluation Service.

SARA LINDQUIST, Ph.D., VP of Student Services, Santa Ana College

An employee of Santa Ana College for over 28 years, Sara currently serves as Vice President of Student Services at the college, a post she has held for approximately 15 years. Her primary responsibility in this position is to serve as the institution's chief student services officer in relation to the budgeting, planning, implementation and accountability for all student services programs housed at or affiliated with the college. She facilitates the Santa Ana Partnership, a K-12 and higher education collaborative with local community and civic leaders, parents, and business representatives. The Partnership is dedicated to the advancement of learning and to improving the academic achievement of students at all levels in our public education system, with a focus on improving access to higher education and completion of college for students that have traditionally been less well served by our educational institutions.

Sara pursued her undergraduate education at Vassar College and the University of Pennsylvania, received her Master's Degree from the University of La Verne, and her Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate University in California with a specialization in Higher Education Policy. She is a frequent local and national conference presenter and serves as a consultant to the US Department of Education on its GEAR UP initiative, is the Principal Investigator for California ENLACE and other educational reform grants from both the Ford and the W.K. Kellogg Foundations. She has been honored by organizations including the City of Santa Ana, the Hispanic Educational Endowment Fund and Claremont Graduate University for educational and professional excellence.

James Morris currently serves students in District 2 of the Los Angeles Unified School District. District 2 includes 93 schools in the east San Fernando Valley, stretching from Sherman Oaks to Sylmar and Van Nuys to Tujunga. He began his career with LAUSD in 1980 and worked as a teacher, program coordinator, assistant principal, and principal in south and east Los Angeles as well as the San Fernando Valley. In 2000, he was promoted from his principal position and began working in the District's central office where he was responsible for implementation of the District's successful elementary reading initiative. He also worked for several years as the Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and went on to become Chief of Staff for former Superintendent Roy Romer before returning this past July to lead schools in the east Valley.

His undergraduate work was completed at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He earned a Master's degree in Educational Administration at California State University Los Angeles and a Doctor of Education degree at University of California Los Angeles.

LUISA ACOSTA FRANCO, Farmer's Insurance Group Moderator

Luisa Acosta-Franco is the first Latina to serve as an Officer at Farmers. Ms. Acosta-Franco will be joining the Strategic Marketing team to become an integral component of Farmers' strategic marketing growth initiatives. In her new capacity, Ms. Acosta-Franco will be responsible for the implementation of marketing strategies that include but are not limited to the Hispanic, Asian, African American and women's groups. Additionally, she will be responsible for advertising directed at emerging markets, event marketing and in-language related materials for agency and consumer distribution.

ART SALDIVAR, Wells Fargo

Art Saldivar assumed the role of Regional Sales Manager for Wells Fargo's Wealth Management Group for the Pasadena region in 2006. The Pasadena region encompasses the East San Fernando Valley, the entire San Gabriel Valley and the Inland Empire and he is responsible for over 40 team members. Previous to this role, Art was the Senior Sales Director of the Licensed Banker program for Wells Fargo's Los Angeles Metro region. In this position, he was the responsible for over 300 Licensed Bankers in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Art joined Wells Fargo as a Senior Financial Consultant in 2002, where he assisted high net worth clients in assessing their investment profiles and evaluating their financial needs. Prior to Wells Fargo Art was a Financial Consultant at Merrill Lynch in Beverly Hills.

NANCY MARMOLEJO, CEO of Sizzibility

Nancy Marmolejo is an award winning business owner who helps entrepreneurs stand out, get noticed, and get more business by positioning themselves as sought after, recognized experts. Since 2003, she has blended a knack for promotion with a highly creative mindset resulting in huge payoffs for her clients. A frequently quoted expert in business and creativity, Nancy has shared expert commentary with SmartMoney.com, KPBS radio, The Fresno Business Journal, The Orange County Register, Latina magazine, Univisión TV, Siempre Mujer, Redbook, Latino Perspectives, Latino Future, the Arizona Republic, and many more. Known for her spirited style and ability to quickly spot opportunities for clients, Nancy provides support, resources, training, and coaching for emerging and established experts alike. Her goal is to teach clients how to tap into what makes them stand out and get noticed, resulting in higher exposure and greater impact. The guiding philosophy behind her work is that everyone has an important message to share, and that diversity in those voices will make our world a better place. Her work has helped publicize the efforts and talents of private businesses, non-profits, and individuals. Nancy's contributions have been commended by small and large businesses, national organizations, and the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2006 she received the Anna Maria Arias Memorial Business Fund award from Wells Fargo Bank, Latina Style magazine, and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for excellence in business and innovation. She has also been named Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Hispanic Business Women's Association, was named to the OC Latino 100, and has been nominated for multiple awards on national and local levels. Find out more and pick up valuable free resources by visiting Nancy on the web at www.VivaVisibility.com

LEOBARDO F. ESTRADA, UCLA Associate Professor of Urban Planning

Leo Estrada is an Associate Professor of Urban Planning in the School of Public Affairs at UCLA. Professor Estrada joined the UCLA faculty in 1977. Prior to that, Dr. Estrada held academic positions at the University of North Texas, University of Texas at El Paso, and the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Dr. Estrada was the founding Director of the North American Integration and Development Center at UCLA.

Dr. Estrada's areas of expertise include ethnic and racial demographic trends particularly of the Latino population in the U.S., inner city redevelopment, public policy analysis and research methods. Dr. Estrada has twice been asked to provide his knowledge related to ethnic and racial groups to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, serving as Special Assistant to the Chief of the Population Division (1975-77) and as Staff Assistant to the Deputy Director (1979-80).

In recognition of his demographic knowledge, Dr Estrada serves on advisory boards to federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations; he advises hospitals and foundations, consults in the private sector and serves as an expert witness. To illustrate, Dr. Estrada has served on the boards of the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Latino Issues Forum, The California Policy Research Institute, The Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, The California Endowment, National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies and AARP. In addition, Dr. Estrada has provided expert testimony on census undercount and redistricting issues. Dr. Estrada received his B.A. degree from Baylor University and M.S. and PhD degrees from Florida State University.

ELAINE TREVIÑO, Moderator

Elaine Treviño was born and raised in Fresno, California. She attended the University of California at Berkeley and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 1996, Elaine was hired as vice president for Wells Fargo Bank's Corporate Community Development Department. Following, her experience in banking, Elaine served as executive vice president for the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation from 1997-1999 and served as the president/chief executive officer for the Merced County Economic Development Corporation in 1999. In April 2003, Governor Gray Davis appointed Elaine deputy secretary responsible for the oversight and management of CDFA departmental programs and administration. In this capacity Elaine was responsible for planning and implementing a $307 million dollar agency budget and oversaw the 78 statewide fairs and fair boards of California to ensure fiscal accountability and maintenance of fairground infrastructure and events. In March 2004, Elaine started her own consulting company focusing on policy and governmental relations on the issues of economic development, housing, infrastructure, water and transportation financing. Elaine has a long history of community service in the Central Valley. She has served on numerous community and professional organizations and boards addressing economic development, community financing, housing, teen pregnancy, small business advocacy and the arts. Elaine is also currently a board member of the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), a statewide professional Latina organization with the mission of promoting political and economic parity for Latinas through leadership, advocacy and education to benefit all communities and the status of women.

ROSE ANN DJELMANE, Countrywide

Rose Ann Djelmane is Senior Vice President, Multicultural Sales, for Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., a subsidiary of Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC), a diversified financial services provider and member of the S&P 500. In this position, Djelmane manages Countrywide's House America division and part of the National Multicultural Sales division, which were created to support the company's commitment to historically underserved markets through specialized loan programs, community outreach and a nationwide home buyer counseling center. She is responsible for implementing community development strategies to increase national exposure of affordable lending programs and services.

BORIS CASTILLO, Union Bank of California

Boris Castillo has been working in the financial services industry for over ten years. From short term cash management to long term financial planning, Boris has been able to help people stay on track to realize their financial goals on both the corporate and individual levels. As a Senior Financial Advisor for Union Bank Investment Services, his focus is on retirement, college and estate planning, as well as Life Insurance analysis and tax-advantaged income calculations. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and French.

MARILU MARSHALL, Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources, The Estee Lauder Companies, Inc.

Marilu Marshall, Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources for The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., received both her undergraduate degree and her law degree from the University of Miami. Upon graduation from law school, Marilu joined the United States Department of Justice as the first woman to be appointed as a trial attorney with the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. After several years of litigation experience, she was appointed Deputy Director of the National Gambling Commission a joint congressional and Presidential Commission. Following her government service she accepted a position with Playboy Enterprises Inc. as Vice President of Special Projects. In 1987, Marilu was named Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Cunard Line, Ltd., the venerable British passenger shipping company known for its ownership of the Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mary II. Her eleven years of service with Cunard led to her recruitment to the senior management team at Estee Lauder, one of the world's most famous beauty and fragrance companies. Marilu is a member of the New York and Florida Bar Associations, and serves on the Human Resources Committee for Lighthouse International, a not-for-profit organization serving those with vision impairment. In addition, Marilu is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Hispanic College Fund and the Chairperson of its Scholarship Committee. Marilu was born in New York City where she currently resides.

LUPITA CEBALLOS, Independent Executive National Sales Director, Mary Kay Cosmetics Independent

Executive National Sales Director Lupita Ceballos is an ambitious woman. She has learned two important lessons about success. "I persevere. And what drives me is the desire to become a better person, to provide the best lifestyle possible for my family and to set new records." Lupita believes her Mary Kay business has allowed her to follow her ambitions. But, more than that, she finds that through Mary Kay, she can be a businesswoman with a heart. "I believe ambition is a powerful tool when it resides in the heart of a woman, especially if that woman is simultaneously seeking spiritual harmony and material prosperity. And in this way, I can be more humane and have more empathy for other women. I want to help other women climb to new heights. And when this happens, I learn life is not always about setting new records or earning the highest commissions, but touching another woman's life, so that she, too, can find her way." So in following her ambitions, Lupita explains what she feels are the two most important lessons of success. The first is to share with the generosity of an open heart. The second is that true success comes when you have humility and gratefulness.

MELINDA FOX, Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio

Melinda Fox is the owner and operator of two Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio franchises in Southern California. Melinda began her career with Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc., in 1993, when she took a job as a part-time salesperson in the Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio located at the Del Amo Mall in Torrance, CA. Melinda quickly distinguished herself with her natural ability to relate to customers, and within two years, was named Manager of the Studio. During Melinda's tenure as Manager, she was instrumental in increasing the retail sales by more than 50%. In April 2001, Melinda decided to purchase the Del Amo franchise from Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc. Of the 1,800 Merle Norman Cosmetic franchises, Melinda has consistently ranked in the top 20. Melinda is the Number 1 franchisee in California and is the Number 5 franchisee nationwide. Through hard work, passion and a well-trained staff, Melinda has been vital to increasing Merle Norman's competitiveness. Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc. is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. Merle Norman Cosmetics, Inc. develops, manufactures and distributes its own full line of skin care and color cosmetic products, which are sold through approximately 1,800 independently, owned and operated Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio franchises in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Melinda was born and raised in California and now lives in Orange, CA with her husband Bill and 9-year-old daughter Madison.